Dancing figure



Feb. 12 1924.

- ESTARBUCK DANCING FIGURE Filed May 2o. 1921 V -2- E n Patented Feb.. l2, 1924. 'Y

ERNEST STARBUGK,

0F PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

DANCING FIGURE.

Application med May zo.; 1921. serial No. 471,266.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, Emansr STARBUCK, acitizen ot the United States, residing atl Peoria, in the county ot Peoria and `State of illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dancing Figures; and I do hereby declare that the following is'a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invent-ion pertains to toys. It has esp-ecial reference, however, to atoy having the form lof a human ligure adapted tov dance. y

An object of the invention is to provide a dancing figure that will move about upon the floor without support other than the two feet thereotl and wherein first one leg and then the other will be operated7 and in which also both legs w'illoperate to the end that the movements and actions of a dancerwill be very closely imitated.

Another object is to providemechanism in a dancing figure so organized and operated that independently mounted legs that. support the figurewill be both indel'o'endent.-v ly operated to produce certain desired re sults and operated simultaneously to affect other actions. v

Still another1 object is to so organize the driving mechanism of a dancing figure that its parts which control the legs upon which the ligure is sup-ported will operate said legs in a variety of ways sol that said gureowill perform an ininite number of surprising unexpected movements in no set timeo'r order. e

Another object is to provide mechanism lin a dancing figure thatwill include Va change-gear whereby one of the independently mounted legs of said figure will be set in motion, then both said legs, foillowed by the cessation' of movementof the leg iirst placed in action and the movement of the other.

Another object is the provision'ot vmechanism by which the arms of the dancing tigure will be separately and alternately raised and lowered in accord 'with a change in the leg movement, all of which will be pointed out herein aided by the appended drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a type of ligure with @the invention may be used.

Figure 2 is a side elevation ofthe oper- :ating mechanism employed within the figure. .Figure 3 is a front elevation ot the same fwith parts broken away to better show the structure.

Figure t shows, in perspective, a cam wheel or plate. y l. Figure 5 is a plan ot the structure shown in Figures 2 and 3.

y Figure 6 is an enlarged detail ot a gear :shift mechanism as seen in Figure 2, and

Figure 7 is a transverse section of parts :shown in Figure 6 taken on dotted line 7-T of that figure.

1 and 2 designate a front and rear plate respectively, of a housing or framing for thermechanism about to be described, which when completed for use may be dressed to represent a human igure; see Figure 1, 'for example. i

3 is a shaft journaled in the plates 1 and 2 1n customary manner upon which vis .mounted a spring 4, a driving gear 5 and a cam wheel or plate 6, all placed in the order named, the gear and cam wheel being ailiir'ed to said shaft 3.

lThe said spring has Qontrol of the shaft in any usual well known way, power being stored through the use of the key 7. Y

8 is a shaft likewise iournaled in the plates 1- and 2, beneath the parts named, and carries near each end adjacent the said plates, gears 9 and 10 each of which includes a sleeve portion 11 iiXed with respect thereto terminating each in a series of teeth l2 facing in the direction of one another.

The gears 9 and 10 and their sleeves are mounted on the shaft in a manner to rotate with respect to that member.

Between the sleeves describedris a pinion 13 to mesh with the gear 5 described, and adjacent it is a grooved member 111Y in which the edge of the cam wheel 6 is adapted to lie. At the other side of the memberlt, or that opposite the pinion, is a series 'of teeth` which ich 15 adapted to mesh with the teeth l2 of the gear 10.

Likewise, said pinion 13 has a series of similar teeth 16 adapted to mesh with the teeth 12 of the gear 9.

The pinion, the member 14, and two series of teeth 15, 16 operate as a unit and the whole is adapted to shift bodily along the shaft 8 but is adapted to rotate the latter through the use of a suitable key 17, for example, Figure 7 flixed to said shaft 8 is a scape wheel 17', while 18 is a pallet pivotally mounted on the plate 1` for example, and 19 is a weight controlling it, the whole constituting a governor`. However, other governing means maybe employed since it is unimportant as to the method used.

The cam wheel has the form shown clearly in Figures 2 and 4. It consists ofy a circular plate or disc bent so as to have an angular middle port-ion through which the shaft 3 extends, opposite zones lying perpendicular to the axis of the shaft but spaced in different planes so that in its rotation, it. takes the two positions shown in Figure 2. Since the opposite Zones takes opposite positions in each revolution, the teeth 15, 16 will be alternately meshed with the teeth 12 of the gears 9, 10 as will more fully appear later.

20, 21 represent a pair of cranked shafts journaled in the plates 1 and 2. These lie at opposite sides of the gears 9, 10. One of said shafts has a pinion 22 to meshwith the gear 9 and the other has a pinion 23 to mesh with the gear 10, Figure 5.

24 and 25 are two members representing the legs of the ligure. These are pivotally attached to the frame at their inner sides at the top by means of cars 26, for example, hung on rods 27 extending between the plates 1 and 2.

Pivoted to the outer sides of each of the legs is a connecting rod 28 which engages the cranks of the shafts 20, 21, shown.

29 indicates the arms of the figure which are pivoted to portion 29 extending between the plates 1 and 2.

30 indicates a rod mounted in the said 'plates and slidable in the direction of its length. The ends ofthe rod abut against the inner sides of the arms as shown in Figure 3.

31 .is a bracket extending from the plate 1, for example, in position to overhang the cani wheel 6. Pivoted to it is a bell-crank 32, one end of which has two depending pins 33 to engage opposite sides of the said cam-Wheel. The other end of the bellcrank has a pin 34 extending through a slot 35 in the rod 30.

The dressskirt of the ligure shown is attached to the hands and during the dancing, one of the arms is raised while the other is lowered, and in this movement, the dress-skirt is lifted first at one side and then at the other.

In the operation of the mechanism, the power gear 5 imparts rotation to the pinion 13 and, as illustrated in Figure 2, the teeth 12, 16 are in mesh. The gear 9 will therefore be driven which in turn imparts rotation to the pinion 22. The movement rotates the shaft carrying said pinion and imparts a vibratory movement to the leg at the left of Figure As the power gear 5 continues to rotate, the cam wheel 6 will turn to a position where the cam portion thereof will shift the grooved member 14 toward the right, Figure 6, to cause the meshing of the teeth 12, 15 and unmeshing of the teeth 12, 16, the gear 10 then taking up rotation and through the pinion 23 vibrating the leg at the right of said Figure 3.

In this connection a result is obtained which is believed to be entirely new and novel. lt is to be noted in Figure 2 that the teeth 12, 16 are in mesh, the teeth 12, 15 being disengaged, the left leg only being in movement. Now as the cam wheel shifts, the member 14, as explained, both series of teeth 12, 16 and 12, 15 will have engagement, both legs then being in movement until the said teeth 12, 15 finally having full mesh, the teeth 12, 16 will 'be disengaged. This peculiar relation of the parts thus produces an action of one leg alone, then both legs, followed by the action of the opposite leg alone. The action of but one leg causes the figure to shift sidewise in one direction only. Then as both legs are placed in operation, the figurewill move sidewise in one direction or the other depending upon which foot may happen to support most of the weight and therefore creates the most friction upon the supporting surface.

Then as the other leg is finally independently vibrated by the release of the first, the figure will move in an opposite direction. from that first taken. Since the crankshafts are thus independently rotated and are independent of one another, either may take up its motion. vAlthough the camwhecl has a continuous, and albeit, a steady rate of rotation due to the escape mechanism described, the said crank-shafts being placed in operation and released at various chance positions, the resultant movements of the figure are infinite and unexpected, whereas, if the said shafts were intermittently operated while directly related, the results would be but those expected in a continu-ous cycle, The very unexpected actions of the ligure, therefore, due to the construction used here, or its equivalent, make it of continued interest because of the unknown variety of movements whichit isy capable offprodu'clowing: As the cam-wheel 6 rotates, it not only shifts the member 14 to change the relation of the leg movement, but likewise moves thel arms 29.

That is to say, said cam-wheel moves the bell-crank 32 back and forth and as the said arms rest against the ends of the rod 30, one of them is raised and the other lowered in each rotation of said cam-wheel and this may beso timed that as the change in leg action occurs a change in the arm position is likewise affected. And since the dress-skirt of the figure is attached to each hand of the figure, it will be lifted and lowered in accordance with such arm movement. This results in a very lifelike action, or as of a person actuallydancing.y

Slightk changes may, of course, be made in the manner of producing the effects herer in described without sacricing the spirit of the invention or departing from the scope ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1 Ina dancing figure including a body and legs pivoted thereto, in combination, a source of power mounted in the body, `a drive wheel operate-d thereby, separate operating means connected with each leg including a slidable clutch-portion, a driving clutch-member disposed' between t-he f clutchportions continuously rotated by `the power source, and means operated by the ysaid power source adapted 'to shift the clutchmember alternately into and out of engagement with said clutch-portions.

2. In a dancing figure including its body and legs pivoted independently thereon, in combination, power mechanism mounted in said body including a driving member, a

clutch oper-ated by the driving member, separate means operatively connected to each leg for moving each independently of the other and means for automatically moving the clutch into engagement with either ofy the said means.

3. In a dancing figure, in. combination withl a body thereof, legs pivoted theretoadapted for movement independently of one another and one adapted for movement while the other is stationary, power mechanism including a driving member, separate leg operating means separately connected to each leg, a clutch member rotated by the driving member, and means to automatically shift the clutch from one leg-operating means to the other.

In a dancing figure, in combination with the body thereof, a. pair of supporting legs pivoted thereto adapted to swing -independently of one anotheil ina sidewise direction, power mechanism mounted -on said body including a driving member, a clutch in permanent driven relation wit-h said member, two separate and independent means interposedk betweenthe clutch and said legs each connected independently with one of saidlegs and separately engaged by the clutch adapted to separa-tely impart movement fir-st to one leg and then to the other, and means to automatically shift the'clutch.

5. In a 'dancing ligure, in combination with the body thereof, a pair of supporting legs p-ivoted thereto adapted to swing independently of one another in the cirection yof one another', power mechanism, a clutch permanently connected with the power, means to shift the clutch in two directions automatically, and separate means independently connected with each leg adaptedl to be separately engaged by the clutch to impart movement separately to said legs.

6. In a dancing figure, in combination with the body thereof, ar pair of supporting legs pivoted thereto adapted to swing independently of one anotherfin the direction of one another, power mechanism, a clutch permanently connected with the power, means to shift the clutch in either of `two directions automatically, .and separa-te means independently connected witheach leg adapted to 'be separately engaged by the clutch to impar-t movement separately lor jointly to said legs.

T. In a dancing ligure, in combination, power mechanism mounted in the body thereof, a pair of legs 5 pivoted on said body adapted for vibratory movement in the same plane, a clutch rotated by the power mechanism, means to automatically shift the clutch axially inopposite directions, separate means independently connected with each leg with either of which the clutch is adapted to separately or intermittently4 engage whereby to impart movement to one of said legs independently of the other.

8. In a dancing figure, in combination, power mechanism mounted in the body, a pair of legs pivotally attached to the body adapted to vibrate in the same plane, a clutch rotated by the power mechanism, means to automatically shift the clutch, separate means connected to each leg, each including a clutch ,port-ion to receive said clutch, the relation of parts being such that in the movement of the clutch, but one of the legs will be operated followed by the operation of both, and then the independent operation of the other leg of said legs.

9. A dancing figure including a pair of legs pivoted to the body thereof adapted for independent movement in one plane, separate means peri'nanently connected with one :leg independent ofthe other, power mechanism including an automatically shiftable clutch adapted to engage but one of the said means, or both together, whereby either one or the other of t-he legs is independently vibrated on its pivot and whereby also, both legs will be vibrated at the same time.

l0. A dancing figure including a pair of legs pivoted to the. body thereof adapted for independent movement in one plane, separate means permanently connected with one leg independent of.' the other, power mechanism including an automatically shiftable clutch adapted, while having engagement with one of said means to be shifted into engagement with the other and operate both at the same time, and then to release the first named leg and operate the second only.

l1. A dancing figure including power mechanism, a pair of legs independently pivoted on the body adapted to move in one plane, arms also pivoted on said body adapted for movement in thesame direction as the legs, means operated by said mechanism to operate the legs both simultaneously and independently, and means tooperate the arms in a different time from that of the legs. i

l2. A dancing ligure including a body, and legs and arms pivoted thereto to move in one plane, power mechanism mounted in the body including means to vibrate the legs independently or both at the same time comprising two pairs of pinions, eachpair being independently connected operatively to one of the legs, two gears each meshing with one of the pairs of pinions, power means, a clutch driven thereby, and means to shift the clutch into drivingengagement with one or the other of the said two gears to terminate the movement of one of the legs and impart movement to-the other, and means to raise one arm andlower the other operated by the first said means as the change of drive from one leg to the other occurs.

13. A dancing figure including a body l and legs independently pivoted thereto adapted to swing in parallel planes, arms also pivoted independently on the body adapted for movement in parallel planes and parallel to the planes of movement of the legs, means for operating the legs independently of one another including clutch f ing a rotatable part and a pitman connectf ing it ywitha leg, a separateclutch-portion operatively connnected to-each-of the rotatable parts, a slidable clutch-member lying between ythe clutch-portions adapted to be continuously operated Iby the power source,

means to shift the member alternately from one to `the other of the clutch-portions, said clutch-member in the direction of its sliding movement being greater in measurement than the distance between said clutchportions whereby during the shifting movement from one clutch-portion to the other both legs will receive motion, 'and means operated by the shifting means to alternately lower one of the arms and raise the other.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST' STARBUCK. Witnesses:

J, H. KrNGsURY, O. N. HoWnRToN. 

